Got a kid who's ready to read a picture book all by himself or practice her counting skills? The hilarious picture books below have enough funny pictures and counting activities to keep plenty of kids, teachers, and parents entertained.
Hocus Pocus
Being a magician’s pet is great for grumpy Dog – until a mischievous blue rabbit named Hocus Pocus jumps out of his owner’s magic hat and tries to steal all the carrots in the kitchen. Will Dog be able to kick Hocus Pocus out of the house before his owner wakes up? Or will the clever rabbit prove that brains really do triumph over brawn?
Written and drawn in the spirit of classic animated cartoons like Tom & Jerry, Hocus Pocus offers a wacky adventure that is light on words but rich with laughs. Like Tom and Jerry, neither Dog nor Hocus Pocus speak, making it easy for young readers to follow the storyline all by themselves as Hocus Pocus outwits Dog by lulling him to sleep with a violin, hiding in dresser drawers, and twisting balloons into explosive chew toys. It’s a hilarious picture book for kid and adults that manages to overcome both reading and language barriers.
Let’s Count to 100!
Fans of activity picture books for children, like the Where’s Waldo? series, will enjoy this whimsical picture book that invites readers to not only practice their counting skills but also their searching and finding skills. Filled with wonderfully detailed scenes of wisecracking cartoon cats, mice, fish, sheep, birds, elephants, and even moles, each two-page spread asks kids to find some of the special animals that stand out from the crowd.
Can kids spot the elephant with the pineapple? How about the mouse with the yellow bow, the girl with the strawberry on her head, or (a guaranteed favorite) the farting mole?
Japanese author-illustrator Masayuki Sebe outdoes himself in this hilarious picture book which effortlessly draws in both adults and kids alike with its fun illustrations and challenges. Readers of all ages will be reading and re-reading the pages over and over again to make sure they catch all the visual gags, witty one-liners, and outrageous comedy Sebe infuses in every page.
The only problem? Many teachers and parents might start enjoying the book too much to share it with their kids!
Find more great books for preschool and kindergarten age kids at Heartwarming Graphic Novels for Kids and Read Aloud Books for Toddlers and Kindergarten.
Sources:
Desrosiers, Sylvie and Rémy Simard. Hocus Pocus. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-55453-577-4
Sebel, Masayuki. Let’s Count to 100!. Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2011. ISBN: 1-55453-6618
Michael Jung - Michael Jung is a professional writer, children’s literature specialist, and online book dealer whose articles, reviews, interviews, ...
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